Understanding the Montana POLST Program

Montana Board of Medical Examiners

Credits: Thank you to the Washington State POLST project and Idaho for sharing their educational materials.

Montana POLST Program:Nursing Orientation

Montana Board of Medical Examiners

Credits: Thank you to the Washington State POLST project and Idaho for sharing their educational materials.

Program Objectives:

Explain the purpose and function of the POLST program

Identify the differences between Comfort One and POLST

Know where to obtain forms and additional information

Review of Medical Terms

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES: Are instructions (communication) from patients to their providers, which identify an individual’s future medical treatment decisions, in theevent that they are incapable of such decisions

COMFORT MEASURES: Medical care undertaken with the primary goal of keepinga person comfortable rather than prolonging life. On the POLST form, a person whorequests “comfort measures only” would be transported to a facility only if it is required to provide comfort measures.

DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY: A document signed by a person which appointssomeone else to make health care decisions for them in the event that the personloses the ability to make their own decisions.

LIVING WILL: Common term for a HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE. This is a document that tells your health care provider if you experience a health condition defined in the document, you want the specific identified care.

Review of Medical Terms

POLST: Providers Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. A medical order from aprovider that turns an individual’s wishes for life-sustaining treatment into action.

REVOCATION: A procedure by which the patient cancels or revokes the POLST document to a medical provider. The POLST form may be revoked by verbal communication by the patient or individual with durable power of attorney, by destroying the form itself or by not presenting it to the health care providers.

COMFORT ONE: The previous Montana system in placeto allow EMT providers to follow the wishes of the patient when dealing with end-of-life issues. Comfort One documents are to be honored as they were in the past if presented to EMT personnel.

Montana POLST Program

Montana’s POLST: it’s called “Montana Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment”. The Board of Medical Examiners has developed a protocol and form for medical providers to utilize to assure patients receive the care they wish. The form is intended to be completed in consultation with the patient (or family if the patient

is unable to speak for themselves) and be respected and followed by every health care professional the patient encounters. The POLST form clearly identifies the wishes of the patient for resuscitation and level of comfort care requested.

The FORMS, PROTOCOL and EDUCATIONAL materials (for the public and medical professionals) are available on a dedicated web site and it can be accessed by going to: polst.mt.gov

Understanding the FORM

ResuscitationSection

Comfort MeasuresIdentified

Authorization

Patient’s Name

HIPAA Concern

Form MUSTAccompanypatient

Other DirectivesTo Consider

Understanding the Protocol

Facility Issues

Nursing ConsiderationsIMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER!

Health care provider responsibilities when presented with POLST Documentation:

- If POLST documentation accompanies the patient, all health care providers must honor the patient’s wishes. - The POLST documentation expresses the patient’s treatment wishes in advance of a medical emergency. - A valid POLST documentation is a Montana standardized form that has a valid physician, APRN or PA signature. - The form presented may be a photocopy, fax or electronic copy. - The POLST documentation must accompany the patient if care is transferred to another provider or facility. - A POLST document can be disregarded if the patient or surrogate (who signed the form) requests or if the terminal condition no longer exists, or if there is a direct order from a physician or APRN or PA.

FAQ’s

Does the POLST form need to be signed? Yes. A provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) must sign the form in order for it to be a

valid order that is understood and followed by other health care professionals.

If the patient has a POLST form do they need an advanced directive also? If they have a signed POLST form, it is recommended that they also have an advanced directive, though it is not

required.

In what setting is the POLST form used? The completed POLST form is a provider order form that will remain with the patient if they are transported by an

ambulance, transported between care settings, regardless of whether they are in the hospital, at home or in a long-term care facility.

Where should the POLST form kept? If the patient lives at home you should suggest they keep the original POLST form in a prominent location (e.g.,

on the front of the refrigerator, on the back of the bedroom door, on a bedside table, or in their medicine cabinet). If they reside in a long-term facility, the POLST form should be kept in the patient’s medical chart along with all other medical orders.

If the patient has “Comfort One”; do I need to get them a POLST? No, Comfort One is still honored by EMT personnel and their wishes will still be followed by the EMT personnel.

However, if they want their wishes expanded beyond withholding life sustaining treatment or wish medical facilities and other medical providers to honor their wishes, you should discuss and issue them a POLST form.

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